War for the Iron Planet

Chapter 28: Raivyn's Tale

The next morning, Talon Squad got up early with the engineers and checked outside. As predicted, the centipedes had all retreated to their nest when the sun rose.

They climbed down the wreck and took stock. The ATUCs and their contents were largely fine, though the centipedes had clearly rifled through what they were able to, and tools and containers were scattered around the scene. Dekken began gathering the tools they'd need.

"We'll focus on getting our ramp set up and cutting the doors open wide enough to get the crates out," said Dekken.

"Hey," asked Reclan. "Do you have an extra plasma cutter I could borrow?"

"Uh, sure. In that case there," he said, pointing to a small black crate.

Confident the area was secure, Talon Squad scrambled back into the wreck and began assembling supplies in the fab shop. There were three large, rolling carts that they intended to use to transport the unconscious captives.

After checking over the carts, Reclan set to work tinkering with the plasma cutter she had borrowed, largely just to kill time. They had decided not to blow the charges until the engineers had made their cuts and started moving boxes of parts. They didn't know how the centipedes would react, and they wanted to make sure they were ready to go as quickly as possible.

When the doors were cut, Talon Squad helped load the crates onto the ramp and lower them down via winch.

"Alright," said Dekken. "We'll take it from here. Go get our folks."

Raivyn nodded and led the crew back to the door of the fab shop, where the carts were waiting.

"Alright Doc," she said. "You do the honors."

Doc clicked the button on a tiny remote and there was a low, concussive BOOM that shook the whole wreck.

D'Jarric flung the door open and ran in, arms raised and ready to fire on any enemies. Vanbrook followed close behind, sword and gun drawn and energy buckler activated. The other three filed in behind them, each pushing a cart.

The first centipede to come their way was blasted away as soon as D'Jarric saw it. Reclan groaned at the site of it, but managed to keep her breakfast down. A group of five scurried towards them, and between D'Jarric's energy blasts and Vanbrook's nova crystal rounds they were dispatched quickly, though the rumbling of the fight brought bits of dirt tumbling down from the ceiling. Vanbrook noted the instability but dismissed it. They were committed now.

Running along at a good clip, they soon reached the feeding chamber. It was guarded by at least three dozen centipedes, all of which charged towards the noisy invaders. D'Jarric blasted centipede after centipede, as quickly as he could. Vanbrook leapt into the thick of it all, sword buzzing with energy and revolver barking with rapid shots. He quickly ran out of ammo and started stabbing the centipedes in the eyes and between their armored plates with pinpoint accuracy. Doc fired his rifle from where he stood, and Raivyn rained deadly bolts of T-rays on the monsters. Reclan, meanwhile, set her drones to work, flying among the centipedes and hitting them with electric shocks.

Raising his buckler to ward off a set of drooling fangs, Vanbrook looked over and saw D'Jarric being overwhelmed. He slashed wildly at the attacking centipede and rushed to help, but D'Jarric took a nasty bite to one of his arms, which began buzzing and sparking. Vanbrook took two more down in short order but they had rallied their forces and were overrunning the two fighters.

Reclan grabbed her newly modified plasma cutter and activated it with a screaming hiss. Held like a chainsaw, the tool featured a half-foot metal blade that formed an arc of plasma on the cutting edge. Reclan had added a full foot to the blade and increased the plasma energy output tenfold.